State of Origin: Phil Gould says there is no greater test for NSW than winning a decider in Brisbane

LA Lakers Champion basketball Coach Pat Riley once said, "There comes a time in every man's life, when he has to make a statement about who he is and what he believes in".

That time had come for the NSW State of Origin team. It's also come for the coach and his staff.

No more excuses. They just have to get this done.

It won't be easy. The Blues' record in deciders has taken a real battering over the past decade. NSW have not won a decider since 2005. They have now lost six Game III deciders in a row.

That's a terrible record. It's an indictment on the mentality that has infected NSW Origin campaigns during this time.

Winning in Brisbane won't be easy by any stretch of the imagination. Queensland are always at their best under these circumstances.

There is no greater test in rugby league than for a NSW Origin team to try and win a decider against Queensland in Brisbane.

The atmosphere they will be confronted with in a fortnight's time, will be totally different to the scenes they encountered in Game I just a month ago. They will feel like they have landed on another planet. It will be the most emotional environment any of these players have ever experienced.

Instead of being intimidated by the challenge, the NSW camp needs to come together and embrace the opportunity to make a statement about themselves.

With this thought in mind, the NSW hierarchy will be absolutely crazy if they go making changes to the squad that has already played the first two games of this series.

I know the loss in Game II will burn and there will naturally be an urge amongst some to punish someone for the second half collapse, but that's only going to play into Queensland's hands.

The best people to make up for the debacle in Sydney, are those who actually contributed to the loss. They will be the ones most motivated to succeed, as they fight to redeem themselves.

Don't blame individuals. Don't look for scapegoats. This is the time for unity.

Accept the loss as a team. Make amends for the loss as a team.

Now, to support this opinion, let's put things in perspective.

In the first two hours of football in this series, NSW had scored 44 points to Queensland's 10. They were totally dominant.

In the three halves of football played, NSW had won the first half in Brisbane 12-4, the second half in Brisbane 16-0, and the first half in Sydney 16-6.

By Origin standards, these results are quite significant.

Then BOOM. Out of nowhere, the Maroons suddenly produce a 12-0 second half in Sydney to win the match and force the series to a decider.

For some inexplicable reason, the Blues got themselves into a rut in this half of football. They started to play like 16 points was enough to win the game. They stopped doing the things that had been so successful for them up to this point. I dare say they weren't feeling threatened by Queensland and in their wildest thoughts, they just didn't think a comeback of that magnitude was even remotely possible.

This mindset then played right into the hands of Queensland's leaders Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk. They could feel it.

These great players are experts at putting teams to sleep. Hypnotising them into a lull. Isolating them from each other. Pulling an unsuspecting victim from the herd and then attacking him to get the winning score.

They are geniuses. But NSW played right into their hands.

I know NSW got the second half in Sydney horribly wrong. However, I know this team has the goods to beat Queensland in Game III.

Provided all are fit and well, the Blues need to stick together. I'm sure every player in this team would appreciate the opportunity to put this right and close out the series for NSW.

But here's the rub.

It has to happen now. The players, coaches and staff, all need to come together and get this done.

Six Origin deciders in a row have gone to Queensland.

It's time NSW got it right. It's time to make statement about who they really are.